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the Ultimate goal for high level Tai chi practice

        In advanced stages of practicing Tai Chi, the focus is on cultivating the vital energy within the Dantian. To practice Tai Chi, one must understand its principles thoroughly and apply the correct methods to truly master the skills and be able to apply them in push hands. Tai Chi is not only a profound theoretical martial art but also applicable in actual combat; without this application, theory and practice are disconnected. However, in real life, many practice Tai Chi without integrating its philosophy and techniques, often resulting in purely theoretical discussions that are too abstract, or purely technical practices that are too concrete. This results in a failure to fully grasp and pass on the complete essence of Tai Chi.

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Three Level Outline of Tai Chi Exercise

There are three levels, divided into Heaven, Earth, and Human. The Human level is for stretching muscles and promoting blood circulation. The Earth level is for opening and reaching flexibility. The Heaven level is for sensory functions. There are nine sub-levels, each main level containing three sub-levels, making it three levels with nine sub-levels in total: Human Level (three sub-levels): 1. Stretching from shoulder to wrist (First level): The method starts with stretching the wrist, followed by the elbow, and then the shoulder, using no force, progressing from softness, seeking straightness in the bend, forming a circle. 2. From the hip to the knee to the ankle (Second level): From hip to knee to ankle, all should be relaxed and soft, with strength centered in the arch of the foot, grounded, distinguishing between the solid and the void in feet and hands alike. 3. From the tailbone to the crown (Third level): This involves softening the waist as if boneless through flexible spinal muscles, focusing on keeping the tailbone centered and the head suspended.

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Tai Chi and Five Elements

The word “Tai” （太）meaning “Supreme”, “Ji” （极or Chi) meaning “Boundary” and “Quan” （拳or Chuan) meaning “fist” or “movement”. Together, the term “Taijiquan” meaning a kind of movement to make a power without limit.       Taijiquan, or how some people say Tai Chi Chuan, coming from very old Chinese thinking about world and nature. First time people talk about this in “Yì Jīng” （易经）book, very old book from China, talking about how world change and keep balance. This book, more than 3,000 years old, saying everything always changing but follow rules, and balance is important. This “Yi Jing” book and ideas inside it, like “Taiji”, “Yin &Yang” （阴阳）and “Five Elements” （五行), very important for Chinese old thinking, like Confucianism and Taoism. Also, these ideas become big part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Long time ago, more than 2,000 years, “Huangdi Neijing” (黄帝内经）book talk first time about “Yin & Yang” and “Five Elements” for human body and health. This book say human body is like small world, need to keep balance of Yin & Yang energy for good health.

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The Difference between Qi Gong and Tai Chi .

While both practices aim to improve health and well-being through the manipulation of qi, they differ in their approach and execution. Tai chi is characterized by its flowing, sequence-based movements that engage the whole body, making it akin to a comprehensive workout that integrates the mind, body, and spirit. In contrast, qi gong focuses on specific exercises that target particular health issues or objectives, resembling a series of exercises for particular parts of the body or energy systems.

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Push hands is not real combat, nor is it about determining who is superior or inferior.

hroughout the current Tai Chi Push Hands competitions and daily exchanges, some Tai Chi enthusiasts, during the push hands process, do not progress from easy to difficult and strictly follow the principles and techniques of Tai Chi. Instead, they start off by being overly competitive, eager to push their opponent away. As a result, their techniques are rough, monotonous, stiff, and forceful, lacking in technical content and the aesthetic movement of Tai Chi. Furthermore, some enthusiasts are narrow-minded and demean others. There is a lack of respect among some masters and fellow disciples, leading to disparagement of others to elevate oneself, resulting in disharmony and affecting unity and the exchange and improvement of martial arts skills. Such malpractices should be avoided by our generation.

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Three Core Secret of Tai CHi Practicing

Tai Chi Chuan is globally recognized as the foremost martial arts style, epitomizing the quintessence of Chinese martial arts. It ranks among the three major internal schools of martial arts in China—Tai Chi Chuan, Xing Yi Quan, and Bagua Zhang. As a vessel and emblem of traditional Chinese culture, Tai Chi Chuan manifests and interprets the wisdom of traditional Chinese philosophy through the physical form.

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Important Tai Chi’s relaxation techniques

Relaxation as a part of practicing Tai Chi's internal skills is very crucial in the whole training process. Without understanding what relaxation is, how to relax, the role of relaxation in internal training, the purpose of relaxation, the principles of relaxation, etc., it is impossible to practice true internal Tai Chi. As the master stated in his writings: "Practicing Tai Chi, one never goes beyond the word 'relax'. If there's a bit of tension, or a part that's not relaxed, one will never achieve mastery." What then is relaxation? The dictionary defines it as "the state of being free from tension and mental stress." For example, to relax. The master emphasized the essence of relaxation both mentally and spiritually in his writings. That is: mentally, one should maintain tranquility and nurture the spirit, then the strength will naturally be reserved. When the fist moves, never forget to maintain purity and relaxation so that wisdom can grow; guided by mental consciousness, the body should gradually achieve maximum relaxation. Daily imbue the spirit of relaxation, and over time, one will achieve true relaxation; in terms of standards for relaxation, it is required not just mentally and physically, but also in joints and sinews, to be thoroughly relaxed and penetrable, to the extent that not a single thread can withstand external force, completely free of distractions. From the dictionary and the master's writings, it's clear that to properly practice Tai Chi's relaxation technique, one must start with mental (conceptual) relaxation, to correctly grasp the key to relaxation, and step by step, practice the relaxation technique deeply.

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